Dr. Jeffrey Carrier became a faculty member at Albion College in 1979 and retired in 2010. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Miami in 1974. Dr. Carrier also holds an appointment as an Adjunct Research Scientist with Mote Marine Laboratory (Sarasota and Summerland Key, FL), serves as a consultant, providing public lectures on a variety of topics related to his shark research and south Florida ecosystems, and markets his underwater and wildlife photography for his company, Cirratum Productions, LLC. His primary research interests center on studies of aging, growth, migration, and reproductive biology of nurse sharks in the Florida Keys. His studies with long-time colleague Harold L. “Wes” Pratt of Mote Marine Laboratory document the courtship and mating behaviors of nurse sharks, and his work has been featured on numerous television shows. He is the author and co-author of a number of books, including Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives (2004), Discovering Sharks (2006), Sharks and Their Relatives II: Biodiversity, Adaptive Physiology, and Conservation (2010), and Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives, 2nd Edition (2012).

Shark, any of numerous species of cartilaginous fishes of predatory habit that constitute the order Selachii (class Chondrichthyes). Sharks, together with rays and skates, make up the subclass Elasmobranchii of the Chondrichthyes. Sharks differ from other elasmobranchs, however, and resemble...

Since the award-winning first volume,
The Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives, published in 2004, the field has witnessed tremendous developments in research, rapid advances in technology, and the emergence of new investigators beginning to explore issues of biodiversity, distribution, physiology, and ecology in ways that eluded more traditional studies. As an entirely new companion volume,
Sharks and Their Relatives II: Biodiversity, Adaptive Physiology, and...

Sharks are one of the world’s most feared and most misunderstood of all animals. These powerful predators have dominated life in the oceans for millions of years, yet are increasingly under the threat of slaughter by man. Discover the dynamic and secretive world of the shark, and witness its grace and splendor as hunter of the seas.

Winner of Choice Magazine’s Outstanding Academic Title award, January 2005! Sharks and their relatives are the subjects of tremendous interest. The public’s fascination is influenced by their roles in movies and popular literature, while the media races to cover stories of predators endangering helpless humans. The alarming threat to shark populations is also garnering significant publicity and leading to a worldwide increase in conservation initiatives. Finally, technological advances are impacting...